All children benefit from traveling. Travel is full of teachable moments. Children with special needs are no different. Travel provides opportunities to practice and improve social and communication skill and promotes cognitive growth.

Travel is different with MJ. He is 22 and until recently had been in residential treatment for a laundry list of developmental and mental health issues. And now he and his family are figuring out how to establish a traveling relationship.

Road trips are trying, especially for small children. The road trip tips covered in this piece are about the journey and what to do at the stops along the way that will minimize meltdowns and frustration.

Travel can change a special-needs child’s outlook on the world and transform the child forever. From a logistical perspective, however, travel is a lot more challenging. That’s where experts such as Ida Keiper and Jesemine Jones can help.

Sign up for Family Travel Association Newsletter

Get the latest tips, advice and ideas about family travel sent to your inbox (and check out our newsletter archive).

Please correct the marked field(s) below.

Email
*

1,true,6,Subscriber Email,2

*Required Fields

Note: It is our responsibility to protect your privacy and we guarantee that your data will be completely confidential.

Get the FTA Guidebook

More families are traveling than ever before, and they're increasingly searching for meaningful and authentic experiences. But where to begin? This free guide provides plenty of inspiration for getting off the beaten path.

more useful advice

Backroads

Backroads runs biking, hiking & walking, multisport, family and private trips all over the globe. Our guest service agents work to put guests on the right trip for them. They look for kids of similar ages and interests. We also run Family Breakaway trips for families with teenage and young twenty-something aged kids. These trips […]